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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23653213">There's Always Paris</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/emiricha/pseuds/emiricha'>emiricha</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 22:35:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,456</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23653213</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/emiricha/pseuds/emiricha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been many years since the battle of Hogwarts, but Hermione has yet to find her parents again. A recent lead has taken her to Paris where she runs into an old professor of hers from days past...Hermione/Snape fanfic aged up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger/Severus Snape</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>There's Always Paris</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She saw the familiar black robes from across the room before noticing the man attached to them and suppressed a grimace. Old school habits were hard to break, and running into her old potions teacher at a pub in Paris was not exactly on her list of “things to expect.”</p><p>She sighed, reminding herself that he was a different man now, just as she was a different woman. Besides, she was getting tired of speaking French all the time. It would be nice to hear her native tongue again, from anyone. Even Snape.</p><p>Picking up her glass of firewhisky (straight. She was Hermione Granger, after all), she made her way over to his table. “Shit,” she thought as she got closer. “What do I call him? Professor seems a bit odd.”<br/>
“Professor,” she said to the man’s back, inwardly shaking her head at her stupidity.<br/>
The man slowly turned, consternation and a look of annoyance clear on his face. A few seconds passed.<br/>
“Granger,” he finally drawled.<br/>
Oh Merlin, this was a mistake, thought Hermione.<br/>
“Please, call me Hermione,” she said, taking a sip from her drink. “Ten years out of Hogwarts, it seems only right.”<br/>
He arched an eyebrow.<br/>
“Yes, yes I know,” Hermione said. “I won’t call you professor either, if you like.”<br/>
The man pursed his lips but made no reply.<br/>
“I wasn’t expecting to run into any of my--anyone I knew here,” Hermione finished lamely. What was she supposed to call him? Friend seemed a bit presumptuous, especially since they hadn’t spoken since the order disbanded a few years ago. And had never sought each other out while in it, either.<br/>
Snape harrumphed. “Yes. I was rather hoping not to run into any...one here, either.” The pause was deliberate as he looked at her with piercing eyes. Sighing, he gestured to the empty seat across from him. She slipped into the seat unapologetically. “Really, then, Snape, why come to a pub?”</p><p>“Really, then, Granger, are you intelligent or not?” Snape rolled his eyes. “This is the only place in the entirety of France where one can find an acceptable shepherd’s pie.<br/>
“Hermione,” she reminded him.<br/>
“Severus.”<br/>
“Severus,” she replied, a slight smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she tested his name on her lips. Severus found that he liked the cadence she added to it. He took a drink of his own firewhisky.</p><p>“I’m here on a harvesting mission,” Severus said, pulling his attention away from her lips. He frowned slightly. His know-it-all student certainly had changed. She exuded a self confidence and flippancy that only years in the real world could teach. Of course, she’d been introduced to the real world earlier than any child should, too. He found himself wondering what exactly this student of his had been up to lately.</p><p>Hermione perked up, her eyes going bring. Had they always been that alert? Snape found himself wondering. “oooo!” The girl—woman, he reminded himself—said. “What are you harvesting? You don’t normally do harvesting missions, do you? Hmmm what sort of ingredients could be found in Paris. Oh! Lacewing flies. Ah, but it’s summer and they're better harvested in the spring. Perhaps exploding ginger eyelash.”</p><p>Snape huffed. “Still the insufferable know it all, I see.”<br/>
Hermione’s face froze for a moment, and Snape wondered if her newfound confidence was a ruse. Then, she suddenly threw her head back laughing, her unabashed chortling filling the room. “An insufferable know it all, she said, choking on her laughter. “I didn’t realize how much I’d missed hearing that.” She reached out her hand to touch his where it lay on the table. “Even if it was meant as a hurtful comment at the time of its inauguration.” She removed her hand and he found he suddenly missed the warmth.</p><p>Hermione stood suddenly and Snape asked, more quickly and snappishly than he should “going already, then?” She looked down at him with a sad smile. “No, Severus. I merely thought we could do with a full bottle. If you can keep up with me.” The spark was back in her eyes. He found himself smiling at her. “Oh, I think I can keep up...Hemione.”</p><p>Aces, Hermione, what are you doing? She thought as she made her way to the barkeep. She looked back at the slender form of her professor—Severus, she reminded herself. She’d always found his presence commanding of respect, even in the years when he’d been horrible. To keep his cover, Hermione reminded herself. That man sacrificed his whole life to save us all. He deserves respect. Besides, she told herself, it’s just a friendly conversation. I’d do the same with any friend I met in a pub.<br/>
“That’s hilarious.” Her mind told her.</p><p>She took the offered bottle from the barkeep and returned to the table. “Top off?” She asked Severus. He nodded. With both glasses full, she raised hers. “To new beginnings, she said, watching as a wry smile filled Severus’ face before he raised his glass to hers and murmured silkily “to new beginnings.”</p><p>Three drinks later, Severus knew more about Hermione than he’d ever known while in school. And yet...he still didn’t know why one of his smartest students was cooped up in this hell hole of a city. Merlin’s beard, they didn’t even know how to make proper butter beer here.</p><p>“So what brings you to France, little miss know it all?” Hermione snickered at the nickname once more and then sobered.<br/>
“Actually, I’m looking for my parents. I obliviated myself from their memories back during the war. They were supposed to stay in Australia but...after the war, I went to find the, and they weren’t there. I’ve been looking for them ever since.” She sighed. “ I don’t even know what I’ll do when I find them. It’s not as if they remember me.” Hermione blinked back tears, but one fell and Severus, not realizing what prompted him, reached out to wipe it away. Hermione looked up at him apprehensively, their eyes meeting. Her dark brown liquid eyes staring into his piercing black ones. Hermione quickly looked away and stood up,flustered.<br/>
Well you really screwed that up,” thought Severus.</p><p>But Hermione merely said “I’m starving. Shall we find some food? I know a great little place muggle around the corner.”</p>
<hr/><p>“Around the corner” turned out to be a small shop hidden down an alley that did some of the best gyros and chips Severus had ever tasted. He licked the sauce that dripped down his fingers as Hermione and he walked by the banks of the Seine. It was past midnight by this point, but neither of them seemed to be in any hurry to leave. Hermione’s shoulder bumped against his as she said “so what are you harvesting?”</p><p>“Summer Starwort,” he said. Hermione spun to look at him. “No. Way. I’ve always wanted to see what that was like.” Her cheeks burned suddenly and she looked away “I mean. That sounds interesting.” Severus caught her wrist and turned her back around to face him. She looked up at him hesitantly, biting her lip. “Would you like to join me...tomorrow,” he asked, his face dangerously close to hers. Hermione felt his breath on her face as she nodded, her eyes asking an entirely different question. What was she doing, she thought for the third time that night. But there was something alluring about Severus, something that had always been there. She leaned toward him and brushed her lips against his, feeling his smile as he returned her kiss and deepened it. Dinner forgotten, her arms wrapped around his slender frame as he pulled her closer to him. She let his tongue probe into her mouth before he suddenly and without warning, pulled away. She gasped at the sudden fresh air and leaned in for more, but he put a finger to her lips. “Tomorrow. Pont de Bercy. 9pm” And with that, he walked away, apparating a few steps from her. What….</p>
<hr/><p>...just happened? Severus paced his room at the inn. He had kissed a student. And she had...reciprocated. He smirked slightly as he replayed the evening in his head, their playful banter, her confession about her parents, their walk by the seine. Severus was not apathetic to the charms of women, but he generally found it more hassle than it was worth to start anything. And yet...he kept picturing Hermione’s soft frizzy curls, her eyes…her lips.” He sighed and fell back onto the bed. Maybe she wouldn’t come tomorrow. He could only hope that she’d be scared off, because he didn’t know how he’d be able to walk away from her again.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>...First ever fanfic. Eep. It's short. But hey, it's up.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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